The age requirements for children attending school or homeschooling in New Zealand is ages 6 through 16. According to NZ Home Education, children under age 6 are not considered old enough for schooling.
In order to homeschool, parents must file an exemption with the Ministry of Education. According to the Home School Legal Defense Association, parents have to answer several questions about their homeschooling plans and show that the children "will be taught at least as regularly and as well as in a registered school." The terms "regularly" and "as well" are not defined, thus open to interpretation.
According to both the Home School Legal Defense Association and NZ Home Education, parents who choose to homeschool are not required to use the National Curriculum Guidelines set out by New Zealand. As long as the parents have an educational plan, they will be accepted, the HSLDA says.
According to the Home School Legal Defense Association, homeschooling parents may be subject to a review by the Education Review Office. They state that this office reviews an average of 12 percent of homeschooling families each year. NZ Home Education however, states that as of July 1, 2009, these reviews are only carried out when a specific request is made by the Secretary for Education and in some particular instances.
Parents who homeschool in New Zealand are given a biannual allowance to do so by the government. According to NZ Home Education, this allowance is not tied to curriculum requirements or rules. Parents must simply submit a declaration that they are still homeschooling their children. The Home School Legal Defense Association says this allowance is $763 (NZ) per year for the first child, with a smaller allowance given for each child after.